Sausalito duo scales Golden Gate Bridge to protest China

THE DRAMATIC SCALING of the Golden Gate Bridge by two Sausalito men and an Oakland woman to protest China's treatment of Tibet and the impending arrival of the Olympic torch caught national attention Monday, while raising concerns about security on the famous span.

The climbers, who included Laurel Mac Sutherlin, 30, and Duane Martinez, 27, of Sausalito, made their way 150 feet above the roadway, some 370 feet over the water, to hang Tibetan flags and 40-foot-long banners that read "One World One Dream," "Free Tibet" and "Free Tibet 08."

Reached by cell phone as he dangled from the bridge, Sutherlin said he was worried that the torch's planned route through Tibet would lead to more arrests and that Chinese officials would use force to stifle any visible dissent.

"The leaders of China have said they'll maintain order at all costs, and we know what that means - bloodshed and violent oppression," he told the Associated Press. "If the IOC allows the torch to proceed into Tibet, they'll have blood on their hands."

Martinez said he and Sutherlin, who are partners, have been involved in the Tibet issue before - both were arrested by Chinese authorities last year. In April 2007, Sutherlin and three other Americans were taken away after holding up a banner at a base camp on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest that read, "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008."

"One World, One Dream" is the slogan of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Martinez was among six people detained by Chinese officials in August after unfurling a protest banner with the same wording on the Great Wall of China.

On Monday, the climbers were well prepared: They used one or more baby carriages to haul helmets and harnesses and other equipment onto the south side of the span. Aided by four others, the trio began their ascent about 10:15 a.m.

"They just went straight up the suspender ropes," said bridge spokeswoman Mary Currie, referring to the vertical wires that connect to the span's main cables. "They also had two suitcases, which is where the banners were. We assumed, and rightly so, that these were protesters and that they were not going to harm the bridge."

Officials were in bullhorn contact with the climbers for about an hour, and it took them about an hour to descend. At one point, officials said, climber Hannah Strange, 29, of Oakland became tangled in one of the banners. A bridge iron worker helped to untangle her.

After three hours, the three came down and were arrested and taken to the San Francisco County Jail, as were their accomplices. In addition to leaving banners, the trio also left much of their gear. The climbers could be charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor that carries a fine of up to $10,000, bridge officials said.

Normal vehicle traffic, while slow, continued during the protest, but pedestrians and bicyclists were not allowed to cross the bridge.

The demonstration was planned by New York-based Students for a Free Tibet, whose members were near the span talking to the media about the protest.

Kate Woznow, who called herself campaign director for Students for a Free Tibet, said the group was sorry for the inconvenience to motorists caused by the spectacle.

"We hope San Franciscans understand that this is an important time to speak out and stand up about what's going on in Tibet," she said.

She said the group plans several other peaceful demonstrations over the next few days in conjunction with arrival of the Olympic torch on Wednesday. A march sponsored by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship to support Myanmar (Burma) is also planned for the Golden Gate Bridge from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday.

Ironically, Monday's protest began as U.S. Park Police, California Highway Patrol and Golden Gate bridge officials were meeting at nearby Fort Point to discuss security issues surrounding the Olympic torch protests this week.

Bridge Manager Kary Witt said the Golden Gate Bridge District will review security measures and bridge officials' response to the incident.

"Obviously, we don't like it when someone can climb up our suspension cables," Witt said.

In recent years, bridge officials have beefed up security. In 2006, hydraulic gates and fencing were installed under the north approach to the bridge, part of a $3 million security upgrade aimed at thwarting potential terrorist attacks.

New fencing was also installed along the western hillside near the north end of the bridge and along the water on the east side, below Vista Point.

Other security improvements include improved lighting and new electrical equipment, such as sensors and cameras. In fall 2004, the bridge district received a $2.1 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security for security improvements. In 2002, it hired an additional dozen patrol officers as part of a beefed-up security program.

Monday's spectacle was not the first of its kind. In 1996, actor Woody Harrelson and eight others tied up traffic for hours when they scaled the bridge cables and put up banners to create awareness about Northern California redwood forests.

In February 2001, a group of students from the University of British Columbia crept onto the span under the cover of thick morning fog and, within minutes, suspended from the bridge the shell of a red Volkswagen Beetle, part of an engineering school prank.